Mark Rothko: A Deep Mysticism

Mark Rothko - Orange and Yellow - 1956 - Oil on canvas - 231 × 180 cm. - Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY (click photo for larger image)Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was an American painter of Russian Jewish descent. He developed a unique form of Abstract Expressionism. In contrast to the approach of Jackson Pollock, Rothko created “virtually gestureless paintings [which] achieved their effects by juxtaposing large areas of melting colors that seemingly float parallel to the picture plane in an indeterminate, atmospheric space.” The somer intensity of his later works reveal a deep mysticism.

Romare Bearden: Pre-eminent Collagist

Spring Way - 1964 - Romare Bearden collage on paperboard sheet and image: 6 5/8 x 9 3/8 in. (16.8 x 23.8 cm.) Smithsonian American Art Museum (click photo for larger image)U.S. painter Romare Bearden (1911-1988) studied at the Art Students League with George Grosz and at Columbia University. After military service in World War II, he attended the Sorbonne and traveled in Europe. During this time he achieved recognition for his complex semiabstract collages of photographs and painted paper on canvas. The narrative structure of his work is clear; aspects of African American culture, including ritual, music, and family, were his predominant themes. By the 1960s, Bearden was recognized as the preeminent collagist in the U.S. He is regarded as one of the most important African American artists of the 20th century.

Marilyn?

David LaChapelle - Amanda Lepore as Andy Warhol’s Marilyn (Red) - digital c print on paper - 50x50 in. - Guy Hepner Studio, West Hollywood, CA (click photo for larger image)Amanda Lepore (born 1967 as Armand Lepore) is an American model, nightlife and fashion icon, performance artist, recording artist and transgender public figure. She has appeared in advertising for numerous companies, including M.A.C (Make-up Art Cosmetics) and she is one of David LaChapelle’s (born 1963) favorite subjects.

“Made in Heaven”

Jeff Koons - Made in Heaven - 1990-91 - Mixed media sculptures - 3/4 life size (click photo for larger image)In 1989, the Whitney Museum asked Jeff Koons (born 1955) to make an artwork about the media on a billboard for the show "Image World: Art and Media Culture". Koons employed Ilona Staller as a model in a shoot that formed the basis of the resulting work for the Whitney, entitled “Made in Heaven” (1990–91). The works in the exhibit portrayed Koons and Staller in explicit sexual positions and created considerable controversy. The sculptures were approximately three-quarter lifesize—made of mixed media— including resins and gold leaf.

Alex and Ada: A True Life Partnership

Alex Katz (b. 1927) - The Black Dress - 1960 - Oil on linen72 1/4 x 84 1/2 in. (183.5 x 214.5 cm) Brandhorst CollectionArt © Alex Katz - Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY (click photo for larger image)Alex Katz and Ada Del Moro Katz (click photo for larger image)Alex Katz (born 1927) is an American figurative artist. He met Ada Del Moro (born 1928) and began what would become a long collaboration, as artist and model.  They married in 1958. Ada thrilled her husband to the point where he painted her forty times from 1957 to 2005. Rather than a titillating muse, Ada has served as a comforting and intimate companion. They remain married to this day, and live in SoHo in New York.